


That Itch Beneath My Skin (Was It You?)

by PennamePersona



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Different First Meeting, First Meetings, M/M, meet cute
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-17
Updated: 2016-10-17
Packaged: 2018-08-22 22:44:58
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,343
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8304038
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PennamePersona/pseuds/PennamePersona
Summary: All they've ever needed are simple words. And, happy as that does make him, Kenma feels himself craving more.orthe mail room fucked up and i got your mail but i opened it before i realized that and i think we’d be great friends” au





	

**Author's Note:**

> Credit to bisexualdanhowell for thinking up the prompt, I just used it. Also, happy birthday to Kozume Kenma!

Kenma lives a relatively quiet life. He had since he was a child, and he's grateful for that. His parents respect that quiet, and so does his closest (and only) friend (and ex), Akaashi Keiji.

  


All that quiet sometimes leads to an itching beneath Kenma's skin that no one (see: Akaashi) seems to understand, though.

  


But he is still content, and content was enough for now. For forever, maybe, which is a bit sad, but that's just. Kenma.

  


He lives in a dorm at the university he chose for himself, which was odd, making that real and serious of a decision all on his own, and his roommate is more than tolerable because it is, of course, Akaashi.

  


His parents did try and talk him out of that, briefly, because what's more awkward than living with your ex?

  


They had asked him that exact question, and he had responded that he imaged many things were, since nothing was particularly awkward between the two of them. They had tried dating, since so many people suggested it, and had never really done anything. Akaashi had been Kenma's first kiss, and vice versa, and that had been about the end of it, functionally.

  


"Did we ever break up?" Kenma asks, apropos of exactly nothing, from Akaashi's perspective.

  


Akaashi looks up from his studying, sitting at his desk, which is across from their bunk bed. He cranes his neck to see Kenma, who is laying on the top bunk (his bunk, not that he'd had to fight for it, because that's not how it is with Akaashi).

  


"Yes." He says, simply. "About a week after we kissed, we ended it formally. I recall that your mother was particularly upset about it. I believe she had hoped to have my as a son-in-law someday."

  


It's Akaashi teasing, Kenma knows, so he cracks a small smile, just for Akaashi, because he's comfortable with Akaashi, because things are okay with Akaashi, because...

  


Because he's content.

  


"Well, you're practically her son anyway," Kenma says, and Akaashi nods, and that's it. That's the conversation. Normally that would be good, the silence would be pleasing, but somehow, right now, it's not.

  


So Kenma gets out of bed and goes to leave, only saying "I'm going to get the mail," to Akaashi, who won't worry too much about him, just enough that it counts.

  


Just enough to matter, and that's fine, it really is, only...the quiet life just isn't something that Kenma always feels completely comfortable with, and maybe there's something wrong with him because of that, maybe, but he'll handle that. He always handles it, and he always will.

  


He gets down to the mail room, which is populated by only a few students (one with particularly awful bedhead), and goes to his box. He opens it, and is surprised to find that it's completely empty. He was expecting a package.

  


"Oh, are you Kozume?" A voice asks. Kenma turns and sees the bedhead person holding a small box. "I got your mail by accident."

  


"Oh," Kenma says. The box is open. "I see you opened it, as well."

  


"By accident!" The bedhead person cries. Too loud, Kenma thinks, but enjoys it. "Though I do think your mother sends the sweetest things. Your sister included some odd things, though."

  


"I don't have a sister," Kenma says. 

  


"Then who is - "

  


"Give me my mail," Kenma says, more forcefully than he normally would, but the direct underneath of his skin is crawling and he just can't tonight, not quite.

  


"Alright!" Bedhead person says, cheerfully enough. "I think we'd be good friends, by the way."

  


Bedhead person winks - _winks_  - and walks away. Then turns around immediately and comes back.

  


"In fact," Bedhead person says. "We should try right now. To be friends, that is."

  


"It's late," Kenma says.

  


"So it is," Bedhead person says, smirking in a way that doesn't seem quite cruel.

  


"Alright," Kenma says, because his whole being is itching and he sort of needs this, this odd person who opened his mail and looked at his personal items, this person with the odd smile, this person who doesn't seem to posses a comb.

  


This person whose name turns out to be Kuroo Tetsurou, who uses male pronouns (thankfully Kenma's Pride mail - a subscription from younger, more involved day - was in the hands of someone safe), and who, for some odd reason, thinks that the coffee shop on campus is an appropriate spot for getting to know someone at 11 o'clock at night.

  


"We're college students," Kuroo says. "We never sleep anyway."

  


"I sleep." Kenma says. "Sometimes."

  


"What do you do the other times?" Kuroo asks, leaning forward, that same smirk on his face, somehow non-threatening even though he should be.

  


But he isn't.

  


In fact, he seems to be just what Kenma was looking for tonight, and probably every other night he's like this. Somehow, Kenma doubts he'll be able to shake Kuroo Tetsurou anytime soon.

  


* * *

  


Kenma is cute.

  


Of course Kuroo noticed this, it's a natural reaction to anyone that Kuroo meets. He even told Bo when they first met that he was cute, even though he denies it now.

  


That probably doesn't excuse his gushing right now, though, which isn't about to make Kuroo shut up. Nothing makes Kuroo shut up.

  


(Or so Yaku has told him a thousand times, not that Kuroo is ever really listening).

  


"Adorable, Bo, you don't even understand," Kuroo says, gesturing wildly with his hands. "And so...so...sassy! He never let me get too out there, he always brought me right back down. And obviously he's wrong, I am walking sex appeal, but just the way he was...!"

  


"You're in love~" Bo sing-songs, upside-down on the bottom bunk (an owl afraid of heights, what is this guy? Besides Kuroo's best friend (and ex)).

  


"Am I?" Kuroo questions. "I did just meet the guy."

  


"I don't know, bro," Bo says. "You should take him out on a date."

  


"Did I already?" Kuroo asks. 

  


"Ask him!" Bo exclaims. "Find him again and ask if it was a date!"

  


"You're a genius, bro," Kuroo says, grinning and patting Bo on the head on his way to the top bunk. "I'll find him again, ask for his number, and woo him with my charms."

  


"I believe in you!" Bo calls up.

  


"Thanks, bro!" Kuroo calls down.

  


"Always, for you," Bo calls up.

  


"Bro," Kuroo says, gently, meaningfully, reaching a hand down from the top bunk.

"Bro." Bo confirms, grasping the offered hand and holding tight.

  


They fall asleep like that, and when they wake up, nothing is weird about it.

  


It's Kuroo and Bokuto, givers and receivers of each other's first kisses, each other's first everything, and best friends through it all, even if their combined personalities didn't quite work out romantically.

  


But maybe, just maybe, Kozume Kenma will be what Kuroo won't quite admit he's looking for. Maybe that straightforward quietness is exactly what Kuroo needs.

  


And maybe, if Kuroo is really, really lucky, his eccentricities will be what Kozume Kenma needs, too.

  


* * *

  


"You're nervous," Akaashi acknowledges, coolly, because it's true, and he knows that Kenma knows it. 

  


"Yes." Kenma says, staring at the door and biting his lip. He's going to "hang out" with Kuroo today, whatever that entails, and for some reason, he's excited about it.

  


Which is sort of a relief, really, since it's been so long since he felt excitement in a way that related to another person. 

  


"You don't need to be," Akaashi says. "I looked into him and talked to his best friend, who is also very loud and troublesome. Kuroo Tetsurou seems to be a good man."

  


"Thank you," Kenma says.

  


"Of course," Akaashi says.

  


All they've ever needed are simple words. And, happy as that does make him, Kenma feels himself craving more.

  


And Kuroo...Kuroo seems to be that more. Seems to be, anyway, and Kenma isn't getting ahead of himself, he's just.

  


Hopeful. For the first time in a long time, he's hoping. And it feels...

  


Good.

**Author's Note:**

> Kudos are good, comments are FANTASTIC find me at
> 
>  
> 
> [pennamepersona.tumblr.com](http://www.pennamepersona.tumblr.com)


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